According to TMZ, James Batistas wrote a letter to the court stating that his daughter is a "very good mother to all the children".

"I have never seen any abuse from my daughter or son-in-law towards my granddaughters neither physical nor emotionally," he added.

Batistas's letter also mentions that Winter's older sister Shanelle - who has been granted temporary guardianship of the actress - came to live with him when she was 16, after she also accused her mother of abuse nearly 20 years ago.

However, conflicting reports suggest that Shanelle may have been in the foster care system for more than two years before Batistas took custody and moved her into his Virginia home.

Batistas is rumoured to have limited contact with his granddaughters, seeing them approximately once every two years. He has insisted that he maintains a close relationship with Workman by phone, and just wants to see his daughters and granddaughters back together.